Where I Belong
by chippedcups-and-canes
Summary: AU. based at the end of the FTL part of the outsider. Belle escapes Regina and makes her way to the dark castle. What will become of her reunion with Rumplestiltskin? Will Belle uncover the man that is Rumplestiltskin? how had he carried on in her absence?
1. Chapter 1

Where I Belong

After helping Mulan and Phillip, Belle had decided to return to Rumplestiltskin. The whole situation had her thinking about him. In truth she never did stop thinking of him. Even when reading, he was there in the back of her mind - ever present. Still the situation made her think of him in earnest.

Unfortunately, she had been captured by the Queen. They had set up camp for the queen to rest. The majority of the guard focused on the queen while two were left to watch her. Those two guards were busy chatting by the campfire. Belle watched them for a short while after dark before she made her move. She quickly slipped her hand into her bosom and pulled out an iron pick. She'd been locked up twice by Rumplestiltskin and found she didn't much care for it.

The guards were deep in conversation when she picked her way to freedom. Once it was open, she slipped through the door as narrowly as possible. Belle made a cautious climb down, and after the thing with the Yaoguai, Belle was a bit more weary of fallen branches and twigs.

After she could no longer see the light of the campfire, Belle broke flat out into a run. Her only problem was she needed a map. She needed to make sure she stayed the course because it could very well mean the difference between capture and freedom.

Belle obtained a book with current maps of the lands and from there set her way. All the while she remain vigil for the Queen's men, as well as the Queen herself. Belle walked and hitched rides making her way to the Dark Castle. It took a few days to arrive in the town that she had retrieved straw from some time ago. She had suffered through freezing nights that she dare not light a fire, lest she risk capture. A warm bed and meal as well as a bath sounded fabulous, yet she couldn't risk it. She knew how bad the Queen wanted her, wanted her just to hurt the man she loved.

When she arrived there, belle was eager to see him again - whether he wanted to see her or not! She had decided when she had decided to return that she would have her say and would be heard. Belle had already forgiven him after thinking hard on how he must have felt. However, she still had some words for him.

As she passed through the town towards the Dark Castle, she decided that she'd spend the last of her coin and buy some straw.

Since the Queen knew she was heading back to the Dark Castle, belle walked through the woods with her medium bundle of straw. She stayed far enough away to barely see the road, feeling certain that the Queen's men would be on it looking for her. A few men on horseback went down the road towards town, and belle squatted down behind some bushes until the could no longer be heard. She arrived at the castle gate around midafternoon.

Just as she came up to the gate, Belle heard a fury of hooves charging towards her. She turned to see the Queen and her men. Fear seized Belle, and she began yanking at the iron gates. "Not now! Not when I'm so close to home!" Belle cried to herself as a smash of magic hit the gate wall beside her. Queen Regina growled because she missed. The gate opened, and Belle tumbled inside. As soon as she regained her balance, she spun and closed the gates. Queen Regina launched another magic attack only to have it rebound off the gates, which had a magical barrier. Belle still shook in shock. 


	2. Chapter 2

Queen Regina rode up to the gate that Belle stood protected behind. She looked like an agitated viper that lost its prey. Regina yanked at the gate, which did not yield. Then she snatched one of her men's swords and lunged at Belle. The sword stopped dead before it would have passed between the bars, causing her arm to make a loud pop! Regina cried out in pain. The force had popped her shoulder out of its socket.

"I'm beyond your reach now, your majesty." Belle said with feigned modesty and a curtesy.

"Who's to say he'll take you back little chime?" Regina hissed glaring down at her.

"I told you I'd never stop fighting for him." Belle growled taking a step closer, stopping immediately behind the gate. She stared Regina down, pure disdain burning in her glare. "So I'll take my chances." She said with a smile and with that she turned on her heel. As Belle headed to the Castle doors with her straw, she heard a horse's wheeny as it reared, and a storm hooves going away from the castle.

When Belle reached the top of the stairs, she turned back and smiled at the cloud of dust moving farther and farther away. She turned back and walked up to the doors. Belle hesitated a moment before taking hold of the door handle and pulling it open.

To be honest, Belle was surprised it opened for her. "He must be here. I doubt it would open otherwise." The castle had not changed since she was last there. Belle entered the common room, unchanged, and empty. She went up to his laboratory and found it empty as well. Rumplestiltskin was not at home, and Belle found it odd that she was able to enter his home without him letting her in.

Belle left the straw by his spinning wheel in the common room, which is where she decided to wait for him. She looked around the room and smiled at how things were exactly how she left them. The windows remained uncovered and all of his treasures were around the room still.

Then Belle noticed something that was different. She walked over to the pedestal left of the large cabinet. There on that pedestal was her chipped cup. Belle gently lifted it up in both hands, and she noticed there was no dust upon the cup, unlike the other treasures. This made her breath catch and a lump form in her throat. Belle bit her lip to keep her tears from welling. It had to mean something - to him.

Having decided to wait him out there, Belle took her chipped cup and sat in his chair. She sat the cup on the table, slipped her gloves off, and tucked them under her belt. There she waited, warrior Belle, legs crossed and spinning the cup slowly and carefully in her nimble fingers.

The sun had set and the room fell dark with it. Belle still waited in the dark when the room was suddenly lit by the candles on the walls. Doors opened from behind her and Rumplestiltskin walked past her before stopping. She noted he stopped upon spying the empty pedestal. He spun round on his heel and stopped facing her, hands out and pointing.

Belle sat there, legs still crossed, elbows on the chair arm, fingers woven together, and chin upon them. A smile decorated her face as she drank him in. He wore his usually leather breeches and boots and a silk shirt of soft gold. His waistcoat was the black one that held tight to his chest and not so covered his neck. Rumplestiltskin's expression was of disbelief as though he was looking at a dream. He continued to stare her down as though expecting her to melt into someone else and reveal some cruel trick. He made a few cautious steps forward, still pointing at her. "Surprised to see me Rumplestiltskin?" Belle said gently placing her hands in her lap. A final step forward so that he now stood beside the chair. She continue smiling and then gently took hold of his hand. He flinched in response to her touch as though it stung. "It is me, truly. I am no trick or illusion."

Rumplestiltskin exhaled rather shakily. "Belle. You're alive. You're alive!" He said taking her hand in both of his.

"Of course I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be?" Belle asked in surprise.

"So she lied," he muttered lowly, looking down at their joined hands.

"Who?" Belle said standing up.

"The queen."

"Ah, yes. She captured me but I escaped." Belle said and he looked at her sharply. "I decided to return - to have my say. She tried to stop me - even hunted me to your very gates!" Belle said with a little cheerfulness to her tone. Then she stood up in front of him and he took a few steps back. "She said she'd save me from a life of misery and pain." Belle said walking around him as he was fully aware of her. "So she told you I was dead." Belle then hopped up on the table, just as she used to do. "And you believed her?"

"Belle, I - I regretted sending you away practically instantaneously." Rumple said looking down at his hands, unable to meet her eye. "The way I behaved that night gave Regina all she needed to trick me. She merely needed to say your name to have my attention. That blasted woman tricked me so easily." He said clinching his fist and releasing an irritated 'tsk'.

"Well she counted her griffons before they hatched. No wonder she wanted me so bad. I knew she wanted to hurt you, but I'll be damned if she use me to do it!" Belle said clapping her hands down rather ruffly on the edge of the table.

"Colorful language, dearest." He said with a smirk.

"She infuriates me." Belle said sticking her nose up a little. Rumple laughed his trill little giggle and nodded agreement. "You thought me dead and then what?" She asked curiously. Rumple became quiet and sullen again. He gently picked up the chipped cup.

"I put your cup on the pedestal." He said softly as he returned the cup to its home. "A reminder of how much of a fool i was and that happy endings are not for monsters." Rumple said walking back to the table, trying to be stoic. "Because of you I started looking into the power of true love. I learned how I was wrong to turn you away."

Suddenly Belle put her index finger over his lips. "Hush. I understand- I have thought on it as well. You were scared and protecting yourself. Anybody can make mistakes when they're on edge or enraged." 


	3. Chapter 3

"Belle," he said softly taking her hand from in front of his lips and holding it in both of his. "I'm sorry." His expression showed a broken man on the verge of tears.

Belle pulled him over towards her, opening her legs to accommodate for him stranding immediately in front of her. He looked away with shy sadness. Belle turned him back to her by gently putting her hand on his cheek. His skin was course yet smooth to the touch, like running your hand through sand. She smiled gently and then embraced him. In response, Rumple turned tense in surprise. "I forgive you, Rumplestiltskin." She whispered gently in his ear. Rumple inhaled and then exhaled like he had been frozen in the moment. He then held her hand a little tighter and looked down at it.

"I just don't understand you." Rumple said with a light laugh. "Your kindness knows no bounds." He said a small smile creeping onto his face as he failed to look her in the eye.

Belle smiled as she felt her chest swell with love. "Maybe so but it's not only my kindness." She said lowly and the lifted his chin with her curled index finger. "For you, Rumplestiltskin, my love knows no bounds."

Rumplestiltskin looked at her with the same expression he gave her when she said he thought he was uglier than he was. "Belle - I'm not worthy of your praise or affection."

"My praise and affection is for me to give to whom I find worthy of it." She said sincerely as her hand trailed down his neck. Her hand kept going down to his chest and stopping right above his heart. For a moment she stared at her hand as he stared at her. "So is my heart," she said looking into his serpentine eyes. He stood stiff as board t her sensual touches, staring back into her eyes. "Regardless of what you think about yourself - I deem you worthy of me and my affections." Belle said with a confident, bright smile.

Rumplestiltskin swallowed his breath and let his muscles lax. His expression became soft as did his eyes. "And so my sun has returned to light spring upon my dark, frozen winter." Rumple said gently, placing his hand over hers. "I have missed you so my dearest." He said lowly as he looked upon her face. He cupped her cheek and she leaned into his hand, loving his touch. His eyes fell upon her soft, luscious lips. He wanted to feel them against his own and claim them. Rumple was there, practically skin to skin, and all he had to do was meet her.

"Rumple?" Belle said in concern. He merely leaned closer and Belle saw that same confusion and fear as before. She knew he wanted to kiss her, to show her his love. Belle wanted this more than any book ever written, and she wanted him more than any adventure she could fathom. Belle just smiled brightly at him and laced her arms around his neck. He became tense again, but it was okay; he'd loosen up again soon. She gently pressed her lips against his and kissed him, trying to show him it was okay. He kissed back hesitantly, but belle quickly turned on the passion. She ran her hands up into his hair and wrapping her legs around his back. Rumple faulted when she locked herself to him, but he quickly recovered, wrapping his around her and holding her tight to his chest. Belle allowed her entry and his tongue danced with hers. Gods he never wanted to let her go!

Their hearts raced as they tried to catch some of their breath between kisses. Rumple could feel himself present hard against his pants. He knew that when they finally stopped there would be no way he could hide the fact he was very much aroused by her. Then it crossed his mind. Was she as aroused as him or was she simply indulging him? There was no way to tell, for the only way he could be certain would be to bed her. That was something he would not do unless she was absolutely certain she wanted. If it never came about he would not hold it against her, for who could ever love a beast? They stopped kissing, and Rumple rested his head against her collar. Her pants were in sync with his, his head raising and falling with each breath. He still held her tight to him, and she clung on to him for dear life.

Belle began caressing his hair while they recovered. She was so happy because of what had occurred. His passion and want for her could not be denied, especially since he still held her tight. Her heart was so full of warmth and love for this man. Suddenly she felt his lips kissing her collar and neck so gently causing her to shutter. Rumple pulled back thinking he'd done something wrong. Belle took the opportunity and pressed her lips to his gratefully. "You've made me so happy." She whispered on his lips. He raised a brow to her, uncertain how he could have possibly done that with just a few kisses from a monster like him. However he shrugged it off and kissed her deeply. Belle truly was the light of his life - the beacon in his darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

Suddenly a yawn escaped Belle's lips, and her hand flew to try and cover it. "I'm sorry. It seems exhaustion is catching up to me." Belle apologized as Rumple released her and stepped away. He merely nodded and offered her his hand. Belle smiled and happily accepted the gentlemanly gesture. She hopped down off the table and gave his hand a squeeze. "See me to my room?"

"As you wish," Rumple said giving a little bow. Then he released her hand and offered his arm. Belle looped her arm through his, holding little closer than she needed. "By the looks of it - you've been off on adventures of you own." Rumple said as they made their way through the corridors.

Belle released a chirp of a laugh and looked at him. "Only one. I nearly got killed - twice!" She said but was still cheerful. Rumple looked at her with interest.

"Well, you will have to tell me the tale but another time." He said as they came to a stop in front of her bedroom door. Belle released his arm only to take hold of his hands. She just smiled at him gently and just enjoyed being in his presence again.

"Thank you for not being angry and welcoming me home." Belle said softly, looking into his eyes.

Rumple's throat grew tight with a fresh lump that stuck there. "Belle you are always welcome here, and I will never turn you away again." He said seriously. "I can't promise l never become mad but I'll do my best to reign it in."

"I guess that'll have to do." Belle sighed with a shrug. Suddenly she smiled brightly at him, stepping directly in front of him, pulling their hands behind her. She then released his hands and embraced him around the waist, resting her head on his chest. "Can we just stay like this for a bit?"

"If you wish it," he replied embracing her back lightly. They stood that way for a little while. She buried her face into his chest, taking in his scent.

Rumple had told her that he had missed her. Belle needed to tell him that she missed him too, but Belle knew that he would be skeptic. Still she saw and loved so much of him. "I missed so much about you."

"Really? Like what?" Rumple snickered with expected skepticism. Belle looked up into his eyes and then moved her arms from around his waist to around his neck.

"I've missed your voice and your giggles. I've missed your gestures and bravado." Belle said with a giggle of her own. "All of your expressions - even the angry ones." Rumple looked surprised, but said nothing, then waited for her to continue. "Your odd gold-glistening skin. Your unique eyes that sometimes hold such love and kindness - and such sorrow." She said and gently caressed the left side of his face. He stared into her eyes with such awe, love, and burning desire. She just smiled gently and returned his stare with a loving one of her own. "The smell of your fine leathers and straw. All that I know of you I've held close to my heart." She said passionately. Her eyes begged for him to believe it was so. However he stood there silent and stoic. Belle knew what needed to be said now and she knew well the risk. It was now or never - all or nothing!

"I love you!" She said obviously fighting back tears. Belle wanted him to see the pure truth of her feelings for him. She needed him to see! All that she was lay open and bare before him, complete vulnerability. Take her or break her - his next action decided the fate of her heart.

Belle went to step away, but he caught her by the waist. Rumple immediately drew her into a strong embrace, and Belle released a happy sigh as she embraced back. This was a sufficient enough answer for her.

"I love you too," Rumple whispered on her lips. Then he passionately kissed her. Belle melted against him as they kissed. When they broke the kiss, Belle cozied up against him peacefully. Suddenly another yawn took hold of her. Rumple caressed her hair and stopped holding a lock just above her collar. She smiled at him wearily but loving just the same. "Sleep well," he said and then took a step back.

"Don't work too hard," Belle said gently. Rumple gave her a weary smile. She opened her bedroom door with her hands behind her and her back to it. "Goodnight," she said soft and low.

"Goodnight, Belle," he replied back gently. Belle closed the door gently, and Rumple headed up to his turret. 


End file.
